Deep underground.
The dark, damp headquarters of the Root.
Aburame Torune Shimura Danzō, who was sitting in the armchair above.
" Danzo, I am incompetent."
The Aburame Torune.
"That Uchiha Xin not only rejected your invitation, but his strength is also unfathomable."
Danzo squinted, his brows furrowed.
He tapped the armrest of the chair lightly with his fingers, making a rhythmic tapping sound.
"Black flames appeared out of thin air without any Hand Seals?"
Danzo pondered to himself, his face full of doubt.
This method of execution completely violates the common sense of Ninjutsu.
Unless it's some kind of rare Kekkei Genkai, or Sharingan Dōjutsu.
Prior to this, Danzo had focused all his attention on vying for the Hokage Position.
The Third Hokage was severely injured during the Konoha Crush Plan, and his body was deteriorating day by day, which gave Danzo a perfect opportunity to take over.
He secretly contacts various forces every day, preparing for his path to Hokage.
As for Uchiha Xin, that surviving brat, he had long since forgotten about him.
but.
A month ago, Xin returned to the village ahead of schedule and had a secret meeting with the Third Hokage in his office that lasted for several hours.
During that meeting, Jiraiya even set up a barrier to isolate all senses, so that even the Root's spies couldn't detect a single thing.
This Danzo's suspicions.
Now, he has learned that Shin actually brought Tsunade back to Konoha.
Tsunade is the granddaughter of the First Hokage and enjoys extremely high prestige in the village.
With her return, there's no place for Danzo in the position of Fifth Hokage anymore.
Danzo gripped his cane tightly, his single eye gleaming with a sinister light.
A strong sense of foreboding welled up inside him.
Danzo increasingly felt that this Uchiha Xin was a sharp blade secretly cultivated by the Third Hokage.
Hiroshi is relentlessly pressing forward, desperately hindering his Hokage Position.
And that is indeed the case.
At this moment, Shimura Danzō upright in his armchair, his remaining single eye gleaming with a sinister light.
He had just received a definitive intelligence report.
Tsunade, that woman, has actually been found.
Not only that, Uchiha Xin, the one who brought her back, was actually promoted to Jonin by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Danzo's withered fingers gripped the handle of his cane tightly, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the excessive force.
He became increasingly certain that this matter was definitely not simple.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, that old guy, always acts cautiously; how could he possibly promote a thirteen-year-old boy without any reason?
This Uchiha Xin is definitely a secret weapon that Hiruzen Sarutobi was secretly cultivating.
A sharp blade specifically designed to deal with him, the leader of the Root.
Danzo was deeply wary; he would not allow any uncontrollable variables to exist within Konoha.
He had to find Uchiha Xin himself and get to the bottom of this.
If it cannot be used by the Root, then it must be eradicated in advance.
As night fell, a crescent moon hung high in the sky above Konoha.
The Uchiha Clan Compound was deathly silent.
Uchiha Xin was alone in his empty home, arms crossed, leaning against a wooden pillar in the hallway.
He didn't even turn on the room lights.
He had long anticipated that an uninvited guest would visit tonight.
During the day, the Aburame Torune by him using Amaterasu on the street, Danzo, that old fox, would definitely not swallow this insult.
really.
A slight fluctuation of Chakra suddenly emanated from the courtyard.
Three black figures wearing animal masks appeared without warning in the center of the courtyard.
They stood in a triangular formation, subtly surrounding the corridor where Xin was.
" Uchiha Xin."
The leading Root ninja stepped forward, his tone carrying an air of superiority and command.
" Danzo has ordered you to proceed to the Root headquarters for an audience immediately."
These three were Danzo's handpicked subordinates, and they were used to acting arrogantly and domineeringly by relying on the power of the Root.
In their eyes, even if Xin were promoted to Jonin, he would still be nothing more than a thirteen-year-old brat who hadn't even grown his first hair.
They don't deserve any respect from them at all.
Xin looked at these three reckless fools and gave a contemptuous sneer.
"Go back and tell that old dog Danzo."
Xin's voice sounded particularly jarring in the night.
"If he wants to see me, let him come here and kneel down to beg me."
The moment those words were spoken, the air in the courtyard instantly plummeted to freezing.
The eyes of the three Root ninjas, hidden behind their masks, widened in shock.
They simply couldn't believe their ears.
Someone actually dared to insult Danzo in Konoha.
"Presumptuous!"
The leader of the Root ninjas flew into a rage and drew his Ninja Blade from his back.
"How dare you speak so disrespectfully to Danzo! You have to go today, whether you like it or not!"
The three launched an attack instantly, their figures transforming into three black streaks as they pounced directly towards Xin.
Xin stood still, not even lifting his eyelids.
Three Root ninjas rushed to Xin's side in an instant, and three hands grabbed Xin's shoulders and arms at the same time.
" Flying Thunder God Formation!"
The three of them shouted in unison, their Chakra instantly resonating and connecting.
A strong sense of spatial distortion instantly enveloped the four of them.
Swish!
The courtyard was empty; the four figures had vanished without a trace.
Xin felt a blur before his eyes.
The surrounding scenery changed instantly.
He was taken to a dark and secluded underground space.
This is the core headquarters of the Root.
The surrounding walls were all made of hard black stone, and the air was filled with a musty smell that had never seen the sun for years.
Shimura Danzō stood on the high platform in front, looking down at Uchiha Xin who had been brought before him.
His eyes were completely indifferent.
From the surrounding shadows, dozens of fully armed Root ninjas silently emerged and surrounded Xin Tuan.
Danzo, seeing Shin trapped in the encirclement, was convinced that the boy had no chance of escape.
" Uchiha Xin."
Danzo coldly, his voice echoing in the empty underground space.
I'm giving you one last chance.
Danzo slammed his cane heavily into the ground.
"Immediately submit to me, hand over all your secrets, and swear allegiance to the Root."
Danzo eye revealed a murderous intent.
"Otherwise, this place will be your burial ground tonight."
Xin found these words utterly absurd.
He couldn't help but burst into laughter, his laughter filled with undisguised mockery.
"Hahaha!"
Xin laughed so hard that tears almost came out.
" Danzo, you old dog, have you been underground for too long and lost your mind?"
Xin stopped laughing, his eyes instantly turning cold.
"You think you can keep me here, you scumbags who can't even stand in the light of day?"
Xin stretched out his right hand and pointed at Danzo on the high platform.
"Not only will I not submit today, I will also kill you right here, you old dog!"
Danzo hearing these treasonous words, Danzo's anger instantly surged to the top of his head.
His wrinkled face was twisted and contorted with rage.
Kill him!
Danzo gave the order to kill without hesitation.